ALLERGIES & DERMATOLOGY

Is your pet’s scratching keeping you both up at night?

There are many conditions that can affect a pet’s skin, and the consequence of some of these conditions can be unpleasant. You don’t want your best friend to suffer and neither do we.

At Veterinary Health Center, our staff strives to make our furry friends as healthy on the outside as on the inside. 

To accomplish this, we must first identify exactly what’s causing the problem. In many instances, this can be determined by microscopic examination of skin cells at the time of your appointment.  In some cases, however, blood work, skin scrapings, and biopsies may be recommended to help us gather additional information.

Some common skin conditions we routinely encounter include:

• Atopic Dermatitis  (Allergic Dermatitis)
• Bacterial/yeast infections secondary to allergies
• External parasites
• Contact dermatitis
• Endocrine disorders
• Autoimmune diseases
• Tumors
• Skin Cancer

Developing a Treatment Plan

Once we’ve diagnosed the problem, the next step is determining a treatment plan. We may recommend something as simple as topical medications (shampoos, micro-emulsion sprays, leave on mousse) and, in cases of allergic dermatitis, a Cytopoint Injection. Cytopoint is an innovative therapy that targets and relieves the “itch” at its source to reduce scratching, licking, chewing, and biting. More complex conditions may require a long-term strategy that involves a combination of oral and topical medications.

Signs of a potential skin condition include:

• Excessive scratching, licking, biting, and chewing
• Scabbing or flaking skin
• Moist dermatitis (hot spots)
• Alopecia (hair loss)
• Hyperpigmentation of the skin (areas of dark-colored skin)
• Lichenified skin (skin that looks thick and leathery)
• Papules or pustules (small bumps on the skin)